


Hang Your Cape (I'll Keep it Safe)

by DriftingFandoms, Kattythingz, SquishyGremlin (DriftingFandoms)



Series: I Dream of Stars [3]
Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - No Ghosts, Angst, Astronerd Danny, Buckle up, Danny supplies him with them dw, Established Relationship, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Grief, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Jock Phantom, Kinda, M/M, Mourning, Moving On, No kwan this time, Panic Attacks, Phantom is not okay, Phantom needs a hug, Pitch Pearl, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Romance, Survivor Guilt, That's up to your interpretation lmao, after the angst ofc, just Phantom and his lingering survivor's guilt lmao, pitch pearl au, this is a wild ride folks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-02
Updated: 2020-05-02
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:20:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23962237
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DriftingFandoms/pseuds/DriftingFandoms, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kattythingz/pseuds/Kattythingz, https://archiveofourown.org/users/DriftingFandoms/pseuds/SquishyGremlin
Summary: Danny was his anchor to reality. To his dreams. To his future. And he wanted to keep it that way. After all, Danny would always be there for him.Right?OR: Phantom is dealing with grief, and Danny won't stop until his boyfriend gets a hug. Much grief, but it's all worth it in the end.
Relationships: Danny Phantom/Danny Fenton
Series: I Dream of Stars [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1720327
Comments: 23
Kudos: 73





	Hang Your Cape (I'll Keep it Safe)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [DriftingFandoms](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DriftingFandoms/gifts).



> I SUFFERED WHILE WRITING THIS. MY PLAYLIST IS PURE EVIL. IT'S SENTIENT. 
> 
> SO BECAUSE I WON'T SUFFER ALONE, HERE'S THE SONGS THAT FIT SO ACCURATELY I ALMOST CRIED:  
> One Last Time by Ariana Grande  
> Let It Out from FMA:B  
> Spring Day by BTS  
> Waste It On Me by BTS  
> Don't Leave Me by BTS  
> Crystal Snow by BTS  
> Answer: Love Myself by BTS
> 
> (Can you see the pattern?)
> 
> ALSO A WARNING: BRIEF PANIC ATTACK AT THE END.
> 
> DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN DANNY PHANTOM

_“When I grow up, I want to be a superhero! I’ll be like superman, flying through the sky and saving people!”_

**_“What about me?”_ **

_“You’ll be my partner, duh.”_

**_“And we can kick butt together?”_ **

_“Yeah!”_

**_“Sounds like a plan dipstick.”_ **

_Her smile suddenly blurs, and the bedroom around them melts away. Everything becomes gray as smoke fills the air, and the smell burns his lungs as he starts heaving out coughs. He looks frantically for her, trying to find her in the smoke-_

**_“Why didn’t you save me?”_ **

_He gasped as she formed in front of him, her image pale and misty, like a ghost. Her body was engulfed in burning blue, and the air around her slowly contaminated as ashes oozed out of her pores._

**_“Why did you break our promise?”_ **

_“Ember-!” He choked on another cough, and suddenly the ashes were raining down like hail, burning his skin as it touched him. His breath hitched as the panic set in. “I tried, they wouldn’t let me go in, please-!”_

**_“You let me down. You broke our promise.”_ **

_“Ember,” a sob. “Please, I didn’t mean to-”_

**_“Remember this pain. Remember what you did to me, because I will never forget.”_ **

_Her body faded, and he could see the flames as they burned through her veins like blood. It was all too much; Ember dying again before his eyes, the smell of smoke choking his lungs, the ashes scorching his skin, the gray closing in closer and closer as it absorbed him and dragged him by his feet-_

_“EMBER, PLEASE-!”_

**_“We can finally be together again, Phantom.”_ **

_He choked on another sob. “No, Ember, please, he’s waiting for me, I can’t-”_

**_“I waited for you, but you never came.”_ **

_“I tried!”_

**_“Goodbye, Phantom.”_ **

_“EMBER!”_

Phantom gasped. His eyes snapped open as his body propelled forward. Panting loudly, he shivered as the coldness of the air irritated the cold sweat that broke out across his skin. He looked down at his hand through blurry eyes, trying to calm himself down.

He put his face in his hands, and he cried.

* * *

On every anniversary, Phantom tries his best to seem normal. He doesn’t do this to avoid pity, though. He does this for himself. He wants to believe the image staring back at him in the mirror, but he knows it’s a lie. From his forced smile to his tired eyes, everything about this image is fake, but he wants so badly to believe it. To make it the truth.

But the tremble in his lips and the darkness in his eyes ruin the image. If people were to see this… this phantom of himself, would he drag them down too?

_“You let me down.”_

Phantom shook his head. No, he can’t think like that. He just had to get through the day, and then he’d be fine. The pain wouldn’t be gone, but it would be bearable.

And bearable was better than suffocating.

_(Like the smoke.)_

So, he fixed himself. He chose a casual outfit, he brushed his hair, and he took a deep breath. He looked the phantom in the eye, and he whispered, “I’m okay.”

With that mantra in his head, he headed out.

He arrived later than he usually would. The Hallways were emptier than he was used to, and Kwan was nowhere in sight. He probably went to class already; he knew Phantom’s anniversary routine like the back of his hand.

Others didn’t, like Danny, who was standing by his locker, tapping his foot.

“Hey, Danny,” Phantom greeted. He willed himself to sound normal. If there was anyone he didn’t want to drag down with his mood, it was his boyfriend.

“Phantom!” Danny smiled. He leaned up and placed a chaste kiss on his cheek in lieu of a greeting, and a small part of Phantom’s aching soul lifted. “Where were you? You’re not usually this late.”

“I kinda slept in,” he scratched his head. “Sorry.”

“It’s fine, I didn’t mind the wait.”

_“I waited for you.”_

Phantom shook his head, trying to chase the thought away. He focused just in time to catch the end of Danny’s response.

“-and you look awfully put together for someone who slept in.”

 _Because that’s what I want you to see_ , he thought wryly. “Well, we can’t all settle for oversized sweaters _stolen_ from your _boyfriend._ ”

Danny laughed. He glanced down at the slightly oversized black sweater, then back at Phantom with a teasing grin. “What, this? I’ve always owned this.”

“Uh-huh,” Phantom hummed. “You never took it from my closet the other day.”

“Nope,” He waved his hand dismissively, the extra length flopping. Phantom took in the sight again, from the way his fingers barely peaked out of the sleeves to the way it ended just above his thighs. It warmed his heart and brought a soft smile to his face.

Danny always had that effect on him.

“Whatever you say, starlight.”

Danny blushed at the nickname, but his teasing grin never faltered. “See if I ever come over again if you keep up that attitude.”

Something in the deep chambers of his mind snapped at that.

“No!”

He said it louder and more forceful than he’d meant to, and Danny jumped in surprise. The shock on his face was clear, but it melted in concern when he saw Danny’s eyes become fixated on his face.

“I mean, please don’t do that to me,” Phantom forced out a laugh. “What will I do in my free time if I don’t have you to entertain me?”

Danny looked for another second before he relaxed his features. “You’ll manage, Mr. Mini-Jock.”

“Hey!”

“Come on, let’s go to class,” Danny pulled Phantom with his hand. “That’s one thing you don’t wanna be late to.”

Phantom’s smile faltered as soon as Danny looked away. “Yeah.”

Danny was just joking. He knew that. He _knew_ that. And yet… the fear that overwhelmed him when Danny had said that…

A flicker of light caught his eyes, but he saw nothing. Phantom focused on the feeling of Danny’s warm hand settled in his. Danny was right here, holding his hand as he walked them to class. Danny was _here_.

Danny was his anchor to reality. To his dreams. To his _future_. And he wanted to keep it that way. After all, Danny would always be there for him.

Right?

* * *

As Mr. Lancer droned on about the wonders of Shakespeare, Danny’s thoughts drifted.

He frowned as he remembered Phantom’s reaction from earlier. And just a few minutes ago, too…

_“Phantom, you have math next, not English.”_

_“Oh,” Phantom frowned. “Right.”_

_He still didn’t let go of his hand._

_“I’ll wait for you during lunch, alright?” He tried for a reassuring smile, not sure what exactly Phantom wanted reassurance for._

_Phantom flinched, a minuscule motion that Danny caught immediately. This was just like the moment before. Living with a training psychologist had its perks._

_Danny gave his hand a squeeze. “Hey, I promise, alright?”_

_“Alright,” Phantom relented._

Something was wrong. He’d tried reading more of Phantom’s body language, but it was all the same. Only his face gave it away, something he noticed when he was observing him. Maybe it was just Danny, but Phantom’s eyes didn’t glimmer as much as they usually did. It was like they were a washed-out version of the original.

Maybe he was just overthinking this.

“-and remember to write your essays, due next Monday!”

Essay? What essay?

As students got up around them, Tucker walked up to him. A grin on his face, he asked, “You weren’t listening, were you?”

“Nope. What’s this essay on?”

“In Mr. Lancer’s words: ‘describe your definition a hero with examples from real life and your ridiculous comic books.’”

Danny laughed. “He’s letting us use comic books?”

“Yeah, but only if we can use evidence related to our definition.”

“Well, that should be easy,” He said.

They talked as they made their way to their lockers. Danny, realizing his locker was a mess, stayed behind to organize it a bit, so Tucker went on without him to their usual table.

Ever since Danny and Phantom have started dating, Phantom has been sitting with them during lunch, with Kwan occasionally joining them. So seeing Phantom at their table wasn’t exactly a shocker, but the way his eyes turned to him the second he neared the table, a wild look in eyes, definitely was.

“Hey, uh, what’s up, Phantom?” Tucker asked, confused when the expression shifted into disappointment. “I know I’m not exactly your type, but that doesn’t mean you have to look like I kicked your puppy!”

Sam laughed. “I don’t know, Tuck, I’d be disappointed too if you showed up in place of my significant other.”

“Hey!” Tucker pointed a finger at her. “Like you have anyone to speak for, Ms. I’m-too-cool-for-dating.”

“It’s called being Ace, you should try it sometime,” she grinned. “Saves me from all the drama and heartbreak.”

“Yeah yeah,” Tucker rolled his eyes. He settled next to her, and that’s when the heavy air of misery caught up with him. Leaning toward Sam, he whispered, “What’s up with him?”

“I don’t know, he’s been like that since math,” she replied quietly.

“You know I can hear you guys, right?” Phantom raised a brow at them. They gave him sheepish looks.

“Yeah, sorry,” Sam apologized. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” he answered quickly. She narrowed her eyes at the hasty response, but he ignored that. “Just waiting for Danny.”

“Dude, this is something else. You get antsy, but not _this_ antsy.”

“I’m _fine_ , seriously,” Phantom pressed. “Just a bad day, is all.”

Before they could deny that, the sound of footsteps approached them again, and this time when Phantom turned to check, it was Danny.

“Hey, guys,” he said as he sat next to Phantom. Immediately, Phantom’s stiff posture melted away, which did not go unnoticed by Sam. “Sorry I’m late, I had to organize the catastrophe that was my locker.”

“Wow.”

“I know, it was a mess.”

“No, not that. I’m surprised you know what catastrophe means.”

“Tucker!”

“Boys,” Sam groaned. “Stop acting like children in front of my Tofu.”

Unseen by Danny, Phantom heaved a small sigh. He knew he was being irrational. Just because Danny was five minutes late, doesn’t mean that something bad happened. What’s the worst that could happen in such a short period of time?

_“Hey, Ember, you haven’t been answering your texts. Tell me you’re okay.”_

But Phantom knew better than to jinx things. He glanced at Danny, taking in the way he was bickering with Tucker as Sam offered friendly (unhelpful) commentary. Normal people would think they were arguing, but Phantom could see the way his eyes were glowing. The way his lips twitched like he was holding back a smile.

The way he was holding his hand as he kept talking.

He wanted to carve the image into his head and ever forget it. He wanted to be the only person that could see Danny like this. He wanted to see it every day, in his wake and in his sleep.

He never wanted to forget this.

Not like he forgot _her_.

_(She’s always blurry and out-of-focus, wavering like a ghost. He’s not even sure what he sees in his nightmares is what she used to look like.)_

_(She’s slipping away.)_

_(Let me remember you-)_

_(Why do I fear you?)_

“-tom? Phantom!”

Phantom blinked back to reality, stifling a gasp. He tried to focus on the image of Danny, his blue eyes vast like the sky above them as he stared at him with concern.

“You blanked out there,” he frowned. “Are you _sure_ you’re fine?”

“Yeah,” he said absentmindedly.

Danny gave him a look. Then, his face lit up as he got an idea. “What do you think if we work on Lancer’s essay together? You had 3rd period, he gave you that assignment, right?”

Phantom nodded. “Yeah. After school?”

“It’s a date,” Danny smiled. _A date where I psychoanalyze my boyfriend, but a date nonetheless._

* * *

“I know you wanted to be a superhero when you were a kid, but this is ridiculous.”

‘This’ being the endless rows of comic books that Phantom had laid before them in an effort to get a good example with evidence. There was one from every hero, from Batman to Wonder Woman.

“I-I was a passionate kid,” Phantom blushed. “Besides, you have a ton of NASA posters in _your_ room.”

“Fair point,” Danny grinned. “Did you really read all of these as a kid?”

“Yeah,” Phantom smiled nostalgically, his eyes faraway. “We’d spend hours reading these things, trying to come up with the perfect costume and superpower. I had so many sketches of my costume, it was ridiculous.”

Danny imagined a little Phantom flying through the room with a bedsheet tied around his neck like a cape, and he had to stifle the “aww” that almost escaped him. The idea itself was adorable, and it had Danny itching to look through Phantom’s baby photos.

He skimmed a couple of the displayed comics when his eyes fell on a Green Lantern one. It was more worn out than the rest, and the corners were curling as old paper usually did. There was something peeking out of the top, and Danny reached out curiously.

Pulling the paper out, he unfolded it. This time, his awing couldn’t be stifled. Because it was a crayon drawing of a floating boy in a black and white jumpsuit, with glowing green hands and a cape around his neck. Next to him was a girl in a black crop top and jeans, a purple guitar strapped to her back.

“Oh my god,” Danny laughed. “This is adorable.”

Phantom looked up from the Spiderman comic in his hand. “What is?”

“This,” Danny waved the paper at him. “Is this the costume you meant? You even gave yourself a cape! You _dork_.”

Instead of laughing or blushing like he expected him to, Phantom become somber, his brows furrowing and his lips twisting into a frown. “Oh, that? It’s nothing.”

Danny faltered. Phantom sounded so dismissive of it, like he hadn’t just watched him smile like a little kid as he read a few of his comics. He sounded _dead_.

“Phantom-”

“Seriously, it’s _nothing_ ,” Phantom repeated, his words biting. “I was just a stupid kid when I made this, ignore it.”

“You _just_ said you were a passionate kid, and now you’re calling yourself stupid?” Danny was beyond confused. Phantom had seemed so happy just a minute ago, why did one silly sketch change his mood so drastically?

“Yes,” Phantom glared at the sketch as though it scorned him. “Throw that thing away.”

Oh, he has _had it_ with this depressed attitude of his. Danny has tried wishful thinking and avoidance, but it seems that he needed a more direct approach.

“No,” Danny argued. Phantom’s dirty look shrunk to confusion. “Does this have to do with your shitty mood? Because I have tried to ignore it for you, but this has gone on long enough. What’s wrong with you?”

There were a lot of things that he could say to this. He could insist that he was fine and keep ignoring the elephant in his head. He could argue back and risk hurting Danny’s feelings. He could relent and let Danny speak his mind.

But none of those would help him. He was so _sick_ of hearing her voice in his head, haunting every step he made. He wanted to be free of this pain, and Danny was trying to reach out and do that for him, and here he was living in his _denial_ and _fear_.

***WARNING***

_“Remember this pain.”_

_“Remember what you did to me.”_

_“REMEMBER ME.”_

Phantom shook his head, his trembling hands covering his ears as though that could block out the voice. Her voice.

Danny frowned and crawled close to Phantom. “Phantom? Phantom, come on. Phantom!”

Phantom was hyperventilating, and Danny didn’t know what to do-!

Then he remembered that night at the game, and he knew what to do. He surged forward, pulling Phantom’s hands away from his ears. And before he could say anything, he kissed him.

He pressed and pressed and _pressed_ , trying to tell Phantom that he was right here, that he would help him through this, whatever it was. He didn’t stop until Phantom’s trembling hands were on his hips in a moment of pure reflex.

When he finally pulled away, Phantom’s green eyes were fixated on his face in silent shock as he tried to snap back to reality. Danny grabbed Phantom’s hands in a tight grip, and he whispered, “Come back to me, Phantom.”

As the clouds parted from his vision, everything cleared, and the first thing his eyes found, the _only_ thing his eyes could see at that moment, was Danny’s blue eyes that were wet with emotion. There was a comfortable weight on his hands, and as sensations returned to him, he realized that weight was Danny’s hands, squeezing his hands as though begging him for something.

And then his ears caught up.

_“Come back to me.”_

***END WARNING***

“ _Danny_ ,” He gasped.

“Yeah, it’s me,” Danny smiled softly. “Are you with me?”

“Y-Yeah,” he swallowed. “I’m… I’m here.”

Danny continued to hold his hands as Phantom took breath after breath, trying to come down from the delirious high. His presence was a comforting one, and Phantom has never been more grateful for his boyfriend than he was now.

Finally, he spoke softly, “What happened?”

In a moment of déjà vu, he answered, “You had a panic attack. Are you okay now?”

“Y-Yeah,” he nodded.

“I’m sorry,” Danny sighed. “I pushed you too far. I shouldn’t have pressed you.”

Phantom couldn’t think of a response to that, because Danny’s words _did_ cause it, but that was only with the combined efforts of her voice echoing in his head.

“I’m okay now,” Phantom lifted a hand to grasp his cheek gently. “Thank you for bringing me back.”

“It’s the least I could do.”

“No, you did more than you could ever know,” Phantom sighed, dropping the hand. “You were right. I am avoiding the issue, but that’s only because this is how I’ve been dealing with this pain for years. I’m sorry I snapped at you.”

“You hardly snapped,” Danny scoffed. “And never apologize for emotional outbursts like that. I’m the one who pushed you, I should be the one apologizing.”

“Apology accepted, starshine,” Phantom smiled, a small but genuine thing that nearly sent Danny’s heart into a screeching halt.

They sat in silence for a while, but neither felt too rushed to say anything yet. Then, Phantom’s eyes fell on the discarded paper. He reached out slowly, holding the paper between trembling hands. This was drawn so long ago, but he could remember the day like it was yesterday. The sound of the scratching crayon, their silent giggling, the sun shining down on them as they talked for what felt like hours.

He wanted to remember her with joy. He didn’t want to fear her memory anymore. He wanted to put her spirit to _rest_.

“When Ember and I drew this, we were so young,” Phantom started softly, his voice barely audible, but Danny took in every word.

Ember… that was the girl he talked about on their first date, right?

“We were reading that Green Lantern comic, and I said I wanted to have cool powers like Green Lantern. Ember joked that his powers even matched my eyes,” Phantom laughed. “That’s when I decided I wanted to be a superhero. I said I’d be just like Green Lantern. I’d save the world from all evil and protect people. I held onto that dream for years to come.”

Danny’s heart ached for the sad expression on his face, like one breeze would break him down. Phantom looked so lost, almost like a child, and Danny couldn’t help but grab his hands again. The simple contact between them was so much more intimate than just holding hands, it was _connecting hearts_.

Phantom’s smile lifted a little at the touch, and Danny returned it just as softly.

“I was at home when I noticed she hadn’t answered any of my texts,” Phantom droned, his voice hitching. “I didn’t know what had happened, not until I saw the _smoke._ That’s when my parents called me down to tell me what happened, and I…”

He faltered, and Danny waited for him.

“The first thing I felt wasn’t the grief, but the _anger_. I honestly thought It was all a cruel joke, so I ran out the door and went to her house…”

_(The smoke looming in the sky like an impending curse as it burned his lungs and his eyes and his skin-)_

“And that’s when I realized… it was real. There was denying the truth that was literally burning in front of me.”

Phantom clenched his fists. “I have never felt so helpless. So _weak_. By the time I was there, the firefighters were already there, doing everything to save them, but I knew it was too late. So all I could do was watch as everything burned before my eyes.”

Danny wanted to comfort him. To pull him close and kiss away the grief, but he knew that wouldn’t work. Some things couldn’t be fixed with a hug and empty words.

What could he say to that?

“That day we drew this sketch,” Phantom suddenly spoke again, “We made a promise. We promised we’d always be there for each other. That we’d always save the other from whatever situation they were in, no matter what. And I…”

He sobbed.

“I _broke_ that promise. I couldn’t save her in time. I couldn’t get to her. She _waited for me_ and _wasn’t there_!”

Phantom broke into loud, broken sobs, and Danny could hear his heart breaking as the once proud and goofy boy from before broke down like a lost child.

He clenched their hands together, because that was all he could do. He’s sure Phantom’s heard the same empty words of “you’ll be okay” a lot, but what else was there to say?

What else could he do except sit there uselessly?

Danny’s mind raced to find something, and that’s when his eyes fell on the fallen Green lantern comic sitting on the floor. He couldn’t comfort him, but he _could_ offer the truth.

“You know,” Danny gulped, trying to find the right words. “You said you wanted to be a superhero, but then on our first date… you said only regular everyday heroes exist. Do you remember that?”

Phantom nodded, but he didn’t say anything.

“Well, I think you’re wrong.”

His sobs paused for a second. Danny took that as a good sign and kept going. “While we may never develop superpowers in this life of ours, I think it takes a lot more than superpowers to make a superhero.”

“They’re called _superheroes_ for a reason, Danny,” Phantom choked out with a tiny smile. His sobs were reduced, and Danny took that as a win.

“Yeah, but what about their personalities? Are you still a superhero if you have superpowers but a nasty personality?”

“Well, no, but-”

“I believe in the existence of superheroes, Phantom,” Danny repeated. He grabbed Phantom’s chin and looked him in the eyes as he continued, “Because I’m looking at one right now.”

All at once, the air in his lungs escaped him. Phantom stared at Danny with unmasked awe and confusion, and Danny had to swallow a smile because Phantom _needed_ to hear this.

“You don’t have superpowers, and you look like the runt of the group more often than not,” Danny smiled jokingly. “But you don’t let that stop you from being the top star of the team. You use that to throw people’s expectations back in their faces, and you soldier on. You save people every day when you protect nerds like me from Dash, you protect _me_ by never leaving my side no matter where we are, and you’re _always_ there for me.”

Phantom’s sobs halted completely as he listened with rapt attention. Something in his eyes spoke of hope and belief, like he so badly wanted to believe what Danny was saying. Phantom took in the way Danny’s blue eyes stared right into his soul, telling him all of this like it was the truth…

Is this really what Danny believed in? In _him_ , who couldn’t even protect his best friend?

“Superheroes _do_ exist, Phantom,” Danny whispered, his voice raw. “They exist in _you_ , who protects the defenseless, smiles in their pain, and keeps going no matter what. _That’s_ what a superhero is, and I believe in that more than anything else.”

Phantom choked out a confused sob. “E-Even if I couldn’t save her?”

“Even if,” Danny smiled. “Because you kept _going_. You can’t save everyone, Phantom. There are some things that are just out of our control, but what makes a superhero different from others is that they keep trying to save others despite their ghosts. And when I look at you, that’s all I see.”

“Danny,” Phantom trembled. “I…How could you-?”

“Because I’ve seen it time and time again,” he whispered. “You make me believe that superheroes exist, Phantom.”

“Danny,” he blubbered, unable to say anything else in the face of Danny’s raw honesty and love and _belief_. None of that was a lie, and now Phantom was drowning in endless blue, unable to come down.

Danny leaned forward until their foreheads were bumping. Never taking his eyes off of Phantom’s shimmering green, he said softly, “You’re my _hero_ , Phantom.”

Phantom, finally unable to hold it together, broke into another round of sobs. He sobbed for his broken promise, for his lost friend, for the grief that was choking him, but also for the love Danny was giving him, for the pure, _raw_ belief that Danny held in him.

He sobbed and sobbed, and Danny simply pulled him into a hug as Phantom pressed his forehead to his neck. He tightened his arms around Phantom and pressed his lips to the crown of Phantom’s head, simply holding him as he cried out his sorrows.

* * *

Phantom ended up falling asleep, tired out from all the emotions and the break downs he’d had. Danny didn’t try to wake him up. He just maneuvered Phantom so that his head was resting on Danny’s lap, his soft breathing soothing the frayed cords of Danny’s aching heart.

As he ran his fingers through Phantom’s hair, a soft breeze went through the room, brushing past Danny’s cheek and ruffling Phantom’s hair like a soft kiss.

The windows were closed, and the fan wasn’t on. Where would a breeze like this come from?

He closed his eyes, and the breeze ruffled _his_ hair this time.

That’s when he understood.

Lifting his head, Danny spoke into the silence of the room, “I’ll watch over him in your place, I promise.”

A flicker of blue from the corner of his eyes sent a smile to his face. “You can rest now, Ember.”

Phantom mumbled something in his sleep, and he turned to press his face into Danny’s stomach as he wrapped his arms around his waist. Giggling slightly, Danny kept carding his fingers through his hair, offering whatever comfort he could to Phantom in his dreams.

Phantom smiled, and he dreamed of stars.

(And as they sat in the serenity, the opalescent figure of a girl vanished into the air as she smiled one last time.)

**The end.**

**Author's Note:**

> If you're not crying, I did my job wrong, and for that I am sorry.


End file.
